But now the Great Dane is devising ways to stop the red-hot Everton striker when the two sides meet at the Liberty Stadium this afternoon.

Lukaku has been a revelation since joining the Blues on a season-long loan from Chelsea, scoring eight times in 13 games for Roberto Martinez’s high-flying side.

And Laudrup is adamant the Belgian hitman, 20, could have been doing the business in a Swansea shirt if things had worked out differently.

Laudrup said: “We asked for him but they (Chelsea) said no. At the time, they wanted to keep him. I didn’t call again. I should have called at the last moment, but we had already signed Wilfried (Bony) by then.

“Lukaku has been great like he was (for West Brom) last year. He’s a real talent. He’s fast, strong, two-footed, good in the air and on the counter-attack. He’s a really good player.”

Laudrup has no plans to recall Ki Sung-Yueng, who is on loan at Sunderland and scored the winner in the midweek 2-1 League Cup quarter-final win over Chelsea.

He said: “He’s playing a semi-final and if I say I want to take him back to fill a position and he doesn’t play then you will lose the player mentally.”